pictures of new Hud-son HFE21 mill and my mods to it

[MattJ]

Wanted to share some pictures of the new Hud-son mill I bought in the spring and the modifications I have done so far.  I liked the HFE-21 for the light weight and portability.  Wanted to be able to load it on my trailer next to my Kubota and take it with me to friends and families property.  I'm not trying to make money, just burning it but having fun and getting lumber to fuel my woodworking. 

I liked the mill itself, but the track sections fell victim to me being and engineer and wanting to redo everything.  I wanted to:

- be able to pick it up and load it with the front end loader on the kubota BX
- have it be one section for rigidity and ease of setup
- have detachable wheels for moving off-road on trails but also have the wheels be useable to place the end of a log on to prevent dragging when skidding (24" dia and under)
- have levelers built in to level on concrete or on cement pads (can't see the levelers in pictures but they are there as 3" elevator bolts)

So here's the before and after pics.  Frame is built with 2x3x1/4 steel with 1/4" angle for the rails like the stock saw.  Reused the cross members and clamps.  2" receiver on the front and the wheels sit with a bracket underneath and I will rachet strap it to the frame when moving it in the neighborhood/property.  The saw was also just rachet strapped with speed kept below 5mph.  I built it myself after I bought a Hobart MIG and taught myself to weld.  Parts all cut on a miter saw with a metal blade, and the paint is cold galvanized primer, followed by an overcoat of primer and then 3 coats industrial black gloss. Total length is 16' of track which should handle 13' logs.

Matt



  

  

  

  

  

 

[MattJ]

Sorry, the "before" pic uploaded in the middle.  Here's a few more side pictures.

  

 

[hillbillyhogs]

That's neat!  Good idea, won't be sticking way up in the air to topple over on rough ground. Don't know much about those mills.

[MattJ]

Only regret so far was the wheels were from NT might not last in the long run.  Ever time I buy something there I say never again and then I end up like a bug and a lantern and fly in to get burned!

[YellowHammer]

Looks good.   8)
YH

[Chuck White]

Looks like a factory job!   

[justallan1]

Looks great, Matt.
I have the same mill and love it.

Allan

[thecfarm]

Wow that looks odd,in a good way. I just looked at that one last weekend in Bangor ME. You did good with it. You will find more uses for that welder.

[Magicman]

Now that is just a cat's meow for sure.   

[thecfarm]

Got any pin holes in your hyd lines on that BX yet?  :  I replaced at least 2 of them if not all four,I forgot.

[MattJ]

No pinholes on the hydraulic lines but I replaced the entire HST transmission at 550hr (i.e. near new) due to a flow priority valve failing and starving the transmission of charge pressure.  No gauges were present at the time to shown the HST was starved, there is one now on top of my dash via $30 at autozone.  On those tractors they have one pump that supplies both all accessories (loader, 3pt, etc) and the pump reservoir for the HST pump.  The flow priority valve is supposed to always ensure the flow priority goes to the HST and power steering.  When the spring goes in it though, it prioritizes the loader.  So I was driving around moving tons of dirt and rock and burned the transmission pistons and cylinder into a well-done biscuit. 

I have a post somewhere on tractorbynet on the whole episode.  Cost was $2k for parts and I did all the labor.  If anyone ever has a hydrostatic question I am well schooled via the school of hard knocks.  Took it apart and rebuilt it three times before it was right. I could redraw it all from memory by now.

[Skoalbandit78]

What a slick looking job, doesn't get much better then that.

[MattJ]

Thanks all for the comments.  My other goal I forgot to post was to keep it as low to the ground as possible as I load the logs from a carryall on the 3pt hitch of the kubota or roll them on.  I'll probably next make a "deck" out of pressure treated 2x8's and then add a device to raise and lower the small end of logs like I have seen on the really nice threads for the LT-10 trailer build.  I studied that one pretty carefully when I was figuring out my designs in my head.

Thanks again

Matt

[beenthere]

Got any pin holes in your hyd lines on that BX yet?  :  I replaced at least 2 of them if not all four,I forgot.

Must have switched the thread to a tractor?  :

[MattJ]

yes, kubota BX 1830 with a HST transmission.  Good little tractor.

[dboyt]

Very nice!  Can you slip the dolly under the track by hand?  It looks like you could use the frame & axles to bring logs in from the woods (like a forwarding trailer).  Thanks for posting!

[MattJ]

I can slip it under by hand if I put a slab cutoff under the end and raise the hitch side up with the 3pt on the tractor.  The frame is somewhere around 300-400lbs.  For forwarding I lift the end of the log with the 3pt and a chain (have a trailer mover attachment with a heavy hook at the top), then put the wheels assembly underneath.  I then drop it down and go choke the front, lift it and haul it away.  I go slow and its on level ground. 

[MattJ]

Here's some pics of the mill in action.   My neighbor had a bunch of tulip poplar and sweetgum dropped.  The sweetgum went for pulp and the straight tulip poplar I brought over with the kubota.  Started with a small log (pics of boards are from that log) then pressure tested my work with a 21"x9' log.  That little kubota got it off the ground no problem with a $100 carryall from agrisupply.  Had to trim a few spots to get the mill past it but I got 6 2"x15" slabs for table tops or other random projects and then some 2"x9"s and some misc boards out.  Definitely need to fabricate a log turner and the toeboard for lifting but it worked.  The mill handled it well, just had to take it slow to not bog down the briggs.  Also a real pain moving around green 2"x15"x9' boards by myself. 

Matt





  

  

  

 

[Magicman]

Looks like you have a nice system worked out, even a tractor driver.   

[Sixacresand]

Nice equipment and good photos.

[Hud-Son Forest Equipment]

Great pictures and thank you for sharing!!!!! Thank you for your business!!

Hud-Son Forest Equipment

[cdzirkle]

Matt - your rig looks great - new to the forum here - and to logging.  As a home owner with 5 acres full of trees, am going to do some clearing of large pine, sourwood, hickory and oak - shopping for a mill I keep getting drawn to the HFE 21.

After a few more month's working with yours - what do you think?  Would you buy it again?

Your perspective much appreciated!

[thecfarm]

cdzirkle,welcome to the forum. What's the plan for the lumber.I kinda would get the mill first then start cutting the trees down. Or is that was what you was saying?  ;D How are you getting the logs to the mill? Keep posting,asking questions, and reading. There is a lot to sawing and a lot to stacking-drying your lumber.

[Magicman]

Hello cdzirkle, and Welcome to the Forestry Forum.   

[MattJ]

cdzirkle I would buy it again.  The saw has done well for going through up to its capacity which is around 20-21" untrimmed, a little more if you trim the sides with a chainsaw.  Even with 18" cuts it handles it, you just walk slow and listen to the engine.  I like the relatively light weight and its easy to move around with my little Kubota.  I would suggest either getting some heavy timbers and building a nice place to park it, or if you are handy welding build a solid steel frame for it.  The tracks it comes with are built with super portability in mind but as a bunch of 4' sections its a bit of work to level and get just right.  It can be done, but its so nice and smooth on a level foundation.  Before I built the new track I sawed on my driveway.  I used pressure treated decking to set the track on and leveled it using plastic door shims from Home Depot.  The are cheap and won't rot. 

Back to the saw in the end it worked for what I intended it for, to be able to turn a half dozen logs or so at a time into nice lumber in a few hours on an afternoon whenever I want.  It keeps me and some friends supplied with plenty of nice lumber from trees that come available during storms, tree clearing, etc in our neighborhood.  I didn't aim for high production rates but low cost and easy of moving.